Looking for sassafras, but heard sassafras is prohibited in the United States?

Question

When I was younger we would have sassfras tea made from, I believe the bark. Recently I have been looking for sassafras or even sassfras tea bags but have had not luck in the stores. Googling sassfras online I came across that it is prohibited by law in the US and Canada.
So maybe this would be the reason I can't find it in stores? Does anyone know if this includes tea bags too, and if not where I could find it.
It sounds as though I should probably stay away from sassafras, so any comments on the consumption of it would be appriciated. thanks

Answer 1

The root bark has long been used medicinally by native Americans, and this knowledge was passed on to early settlers, probably to the Spaniards in Florida. Sassafras was one of the earliest American plant drugs to reach Europe, having been used medicinally in Spain as early as the middle 1500's, and was cultivated in England sometime before 1633. The early settlers also fermented the roots with molasses to make beer, and during the Civil War sassafras tea became popular. Today the (safrole free) root bark extract is used in perfumery, as a flavoring for candy, beverages, and to make an aromatic tea.

The Choctaw Indians first used the dried ground leaves as a seasoning and thickener, and today the dried leaves are used to make filé powder (gumbo filé) which is used to thicken and flavor soups and stews in Créole cooking

Answer 2

I don't think it is prohibited. I have a lot of small sassafras trees growing in my backyard and no one has ever come by to arrest me for that. Every year or two I gather the leaves to make a file for thickening soups and gravies.

Do you have any references proving it is prohibited?

Answer 3

I have added a link to where you can order Sassafras Bark online, in the U.S. so that would lead me to believe it is not prohibited. Don't know much about it though.

Answer 4

We drank sassafras tea with lemon and sugar as a toddler becoming up. for the reason that those years I fairly have not drank it by using fact i could in no way stand it. mom made sis and me drink it as medicine interior the spring. Why i don't know, she pronounced it became good for us. Poppy

Answer 5

I buy the File` powder at Wal-Mart in Texas, Tennessee,California, and even Florida. Possibly you can use it to make tea but that seems quite expensive to me. I use it in Gumbo and Jambalaya. Couldn't make those two things without it and make it taste right.

Answer 6

Because a component, called safrole, has been found to be a carcinogenic in high quantities, it is no longer widely available. However, it is available online http://www.sassafrastea.com/

Answer 7

never gave it a thought until you mentioned it. i've always liked it. some of your answerers gave some good info. may also explain not being able to buy file powder (ne ohio) , news to me.